Lecture 8

Rotational Motion and Dynamics

 Outlines
• Centre of mass and gravity
• Moment of Inertia
• Rotational Kinetic Energy
• Translational equilibrium
• Rotational equilibrium
• Angular momentum
9.3 Center of Gravity

DEFINITION OF CENTER OF GRAVITY

The center of gravity of a rigid

body is the point at which
its weight can be considered
to act when the torque due
to the weight is being calculated.

When an object has a symmetrical shape and its weight is

distributed uniformly, the center of gravity lies at its
geometrical center.
9.3 Center of Gravity

W1 x1  W2 x2  
xcg 
W1  W2  
Centre of Gravity
Example 1
(a) Three objects are located in
a coordinate system as
shown in Figure a. Find the
center of gravity.
(b) How does the answer
change if the object on the
left is displaced upward by
1.00 m and the object on
the right is displaced
downward by 0.500 m
(Figure b)?

Ans: (a) 0.136 m; (b) 0.273 m

Solution
(a) xcg 
 mx i i

m1 x1  m2 x2  m3 x3
m i m1  m2  m3
(5.00kg)(0.500m)  (2.00kg)(0m)  (4.00kg)(1.00m)

5.00kg  2.00kg  4.00kg
1.50kgm
  0.136m
11.0kg
y cg  0

(b) xcg  0.136 m

ycg 
 myi i

m1 y1  m2 y2  m3 y3
m i m1  m2  m3
(5.00kg)(1.00m)  (2.00kg)(0m)  (4.00kg)(-0.500m)

5.00kg  2.00kg  4.00kg
 0.273m
Example 2
Suppose a man has a height L of 173 cm and a weight
w of 715 N. He is stretching out on a uniform board
supported at one end by a scale, as shown in Figure.
Find the distance of his centre of gravity from the left
end of the board if the board’s weight wb is 49 N and
the scale reading F is 3.50 10 2 N

Ans: 79 cm
Solution
 i   n   w   wb   F  0
0  wx cg  wb ( L / 2)  FL  0
FL  wb ( L / 2)
xcg 
w
(350N)(173cm)  (49N)(86.5cm)
  79cm
715N
 Moment of Inertia
FT  maT
Multiply both side by r,
FT r  mraT
Substitute a = r𝛼
FT r  mr  2

Substitute torque, 𝜏 = Fr

  mr  2

Moment of Inertia, I Unit of I = kg𝑚2

Consider a solid disk rotating about its axis. The disk
consists of many particles, all with same angular
acceleration.

σ 𝜏=(σ 𝑚𝑟 2 )𝛼
෍ 𝑚𝑟 2 = 𝑚1 𝑟1 2 + 𝑚2 𝑟2 2 + 𝑚3 𝑟3 2 + ⋯
where,
I= σ 𝑚𝑟 2 m = mass
r = Distance from the axis of rotation

σ 𝜏 =I𝛼 Analog to Newton’s Second Law

Other Moments of Inertia

Section 8.5
 NOTES:
Difference between thin hoop (Figure a)and hollow
cylinder (Figure d):
• Thin hoop has negligible thickness about its axis of
rotation
R2
R
R1

• Hollow cylinder with both internal radius R1 and

external radius R2 (both radii cannot be neglected)
• Sometimes, thin hoop also can be known as hollow
cylinder, but with only one radius, R.
Example 3
The Figure A shows a majorette
twirls an unusual baton made up of
four spheres fastened to ends of very
light rods. Each rod is 1.0 m long.
(a) Find the moment of inertia of the
baton about an axis
perpendicular to the page and
passing through the point where
the rods cross.
(b) The majorette tries spinning her
strange baton about the axis OO’,
as shown in Figure B. Calculate
the moment of inertia of the
baton about this axis

Ans: (a) 0.25 kgm 2 ; (b)0.15 kgm 2

Solution

(a) I   mr 2
 m r
1 1
2
 m r
2 2
2
 m r
3 3
2
 m r
4 4
2

 0.20kg0.50m  0.30kg0.50
2 2

 0.20kg0.50m  0.30kg0.50m
2 2

 0.25kgm 2

(b) I   mr 2
 m r
1 1
2
 m r
2 2
2
 m r
3 3
2
 m r
4 4
2

 0.20kg0  0.30kg0.50
2 2

 0.20kg0  0.30kg0.50m
2 2

 0.15kgm 2
 Newton’s Second Law for a Rotating Object

• The angular acceleration is directly

proportional to the net torque
• The angular acceleration is inversely
proportional to the moment of inertia of the
object
Note: Greater the distance of the mass from axis of
rotation, greater would be the torque required to change its
rate of rotation.
 Example 4
A baseball player loosening up his arm before a game tosses a
0.150 kg baseball, using only the rotation of his forearm to
accelerate the ball. The forearm has a mass of 1.50 kg and a
length of 0.350 m. The ball starts at rest and is released with a
speed of 30.0 m/s in 0.300 s.
(a) Find the angular acceleration of the arm and ball.
(b) Calculate the moment of inertia of the system consisting of
the forearm and ball.
(c) Find the torque exerted on the system that results in the
angular acceleration found in part (a).

Ans: (a) 286 rad/s2

; (b)7.97  10 -2
kgm 2
;
(c)22.8Nm
Solution

( a )   i   t   
t
 v 30.0m/s
    286rad/s
t rt 0.350m0.300s

(b) I ball  mr 2  0.150kg0.350m  1.84 10 2 kgm 2

2

I forearm  ML  1.50kg0.350m  6.13 10  2 kgm 2

1 2 1 2

3 3
I system  I ball  I forearm  7.97 10  2 kgm 2

 
(c)   I system  7.97 102 kgm 2 286rad/s2 
 22.8Nm
Example 5
A solid, uniform, frictionless
cylindrical reel of mass M = 3.00 kg
and radius R = 0.400 m is used to draw
water from a well. A bucket of mass m
= 2.00 kg is attached to a cord that is
wrapped around the cylinder.
(a) Find the tension T in the cord and
acceleration a of the bucket.
(b) If the bucket starts from rest at the
top of the well and falls for 3.00 s
before hitting the water, how far
does it fall?
Ans: (a) a  5.6m/s2
downwards, T  8.4N ; (b)25m
Ans: (a) a  5.6m/s downwards, T  8.4N ; (b)25m
2
Solution
(a) Take upwardas positive
 F  ma T - mg  ma  T  mg  ma (1)
 τ  Iα a
Take anticlockwise directionas positive 
1 1 R
 TR   MR 2 α  T  MRα
2 2
1
T  Ma  (2)
2
1
(1)  (2) Ma  mg  ma
2
rearrange

a
mg

2 9.8   5.6m/s2 (downward)
(m  M) 2   3 
1 1
2 2
1
T  (3)(5.6)  8.4N
2
Solution

1 2 1
(b) y  v0t  at  0   -5.6  3  25m
2

2 2
The bucket falls 25.2 m downward before hitting the water.
 Rotational Kinetic Energy
An object rotating about some axis with an
angular speed, ω, has rotational kinetic energy

KEr = ½Iω2

Energy concepts can be useful for simplifying

the analysis of rotational motion
 Conservation of Energy
Conservation of Mechanical Energy
Ei  E f
 KE t  KEr  PE g  PE s    KEt  KEr  PE g  PE s 
i f

– Remember, this is for conservative forces, no

dissipative forces such as friction can be present
– Potential energies of any other conservative forces
could be added
 Work-Energy in a Rotating System
In the case where there are dissipative forces
such as friction, use the generalized Work-
Energy Theorem instead of Conservation of
Energy
Wnc  E f  Ei
 (KE t  KEr  PE g  PEs )f  (KE t  KEr  PE g  PEs )i
Example 6
A ball of mass M and radius
R starts from rest at a
height of 2.00 m and rolls
down a 30° slope as in
figure. What is the linear
speed of the ball when it
leaves the incline? Assume
that the ball rolls without
slipping.

Ans: 5.29 m/s

Solution

KE  KE
t r  PEg i  KEt  KEr  PEg  f
1 12 2 2
0  0  Mgh  Mv   MR   0
2

2 25 
1 1 7
Mgh  Mv  Mv  Mv
2 2 2

2 5 10
10 gh 10(9.80m/s2 )(2.00m)
v   5.29m/s
7 7
Example 7
Two blocks with masses m1 = 5.00
kg and m2 = 7.00 kg are attached by
a string as in figure, over a pulley
with mass M = 2.00 kg. The pulley,
which turns on a frictionless axle, is
a hollow cylinder with radius 0.050
m over which the string moves
without slipping. The horizontal
surface has coefficient of kinetic
friction 0.350. Find the speed of
the system when the block of mass
m2 has dropped 2.00 m.

Ans: 3.83 m/s

Solution
Wnc  KEt  KEr  PEg
1  1  1 2 
  k nx   m1v  0    m2 v  0    I  0   0  m2 gh 
2 2

2  2  2 
2
1 2 1 2 1
 
2 v
  k m1 g h  m1v  m2 v  Mr    m2 gh
2 2 2 r
  k m1 g h  m1v  m2 v  Mv 2  m2 gh
1 2 1 2 1
2 2 2
m2 gh   k m1 g h  m1v  m2 v  Mv  m1  m2  M v 2
1 2 1 2 1 2 1
2 2 2 2
2 ghm2   k m1 
v
m1  m2  M
v  3.83m/s
 Angular Momentum
Angular momentum is defined as

L=Iω
and
L
  t
 Conservation of Angular Momentum
When
  0
L L f  Li I f  f  I ii
  t  t  t  0
Hence

Li  L f or I ii  I f  f
Conservation of Angular Momentum,
Example
 Conservation of Angular Momentum,
Example
• With hands and feet drawn
closer to the body, the
skater’s angular speed
increases
– L is conserved, I decreases, 
increases
 Conservation of Angular Momentum,
Example
• Coming out of the spin,
arms and legs are
extended and rotation
is slowed
– L is conserved, I
increases,  decreases
Example 8
A student sits on a pivoted stool while holding a pair of
weights as in Figure (next slide). The stool is free to rotate
about a vertical axis with negligible friction. The moment of
inertia of student, weights, and stool is 2.25 kgm2. The
student is set in rotation with arms outstretched, making
one complete turn every 1.26 s.
(a) What is the initial angular speed of the system?
(b) As he rotates, he pulls the weights inward so that the
new moment of inertia of the system becomes 1.80
kgm2. What is the new angular speed of the system?
(c) Find the work done by the student on the system while
pulling in the weights. Ignore energy lost.

Ans: (a)4.99 rad/s; (b)6.24 rad/s; (c)7.03J

Ans: (a)4.99 rad/s; (b)6.24 rad/s; (c)7.03J
Solution
2
(a) i  2f   4.99 rad/s
T

(b) Li  L f  I ii  I f  f
2.25kgm 4.99rad/s  1.80kgm  
2 2
f

 f  6.24rad/s

1 1
(c) Wstudent  K r  I f  f  I ii2
2

2 2

2
 2
 2
1
2

 1.80kgm 6.24rad/s  2.25kgm 2 4.99rad/s
1 2

 7.03J
Example 9
A merry-go-round modeled as a disk of mass M = 1.00
X 102 kg and radius R = 2.00 m is rotating in a horizontal
plane about a frictionless vertical axle as in Figure (next
slide).
(a) After a student with mass m = 60.0 kg jumps on the
rim of the merry-go-round, the system’s angular
speed decreases to 2.00 rad/s. If the student walks
slowly from the edge toward the centre, find the
angular speed of the system when she reaches a
point 0.500 m from the centre.
(b) Find the change in the system’s rotational kinetic
energy caused by her movement to r = 0.500 m.
(c) Find the work done on the student as she walks to r
= 0.500 m.
Ans: (a)4.09 rad/s; (b)920 J; (c)-355 J
Ans: (a)4.09 rad/s; (b)920 J; (c)-355 J
Solution
( a ) I Disc 
1
2
1
2
 2

MR 2  1 10 2 2.00  2  10 2 kgm 2

 mR 2  602   2.40  10 2 kgm 2

2
I Studenti

Linitial  I Disc  I Studenti i 
 2.00  10 2

 2.40  10 2 2.00
 8.80  10 2 kgm 2 /s
I Student f  mrf2  600.5  15.0kgm 2
2


L f inal  I Disc  I Student f  f
 
 2  10 2  15  f
 2.15  10 2
f

Linitial  L f inal

8.80  10 2  2.15  10 2  f 
ω f  4.09rad/s
Solution

2
1
2
 
(b) KEi  I ii  4.40 10 2 2 
1 2

 8.80 10 2 J

KE f  I f  f  2154.09
1 1 2

2 2
 1.80 103 J
KE f  KEi  920J

1 1
(c) KEstudent  I student f  2f  I studenti i2
2 2

2

 15.04.09  2.40 102 2
1 2 1
2
 2

 355J